Bad Things: Guilty As Charged
by BregoBeauty
Summary: sequel to Some Quality Time -- Kyra Rippner faces the darkness lurking inside her in order to save her family from an old enemy when Jackson is arrested for attemtped murder. JxL.
1. Prologue

**Guilty As Charged**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Summary:** (sequel to _Some Quality Time_) With the battle lines firmly drawn, Lisa leaves her husband and launches the Rippner family into an all-out battle with old allies and even older enemies. JxL.

**Prologue**

_May 15__th__, 2026_

_All they ever do anymore is argue. Over finances, what she's wearing, his weapons, and most of all, over me and Myra. _

_Mum's at the end of her rope. Sooner or later she's going to run._

_I don't care anymore. In her eyes, I'm persona non grata. Like it is my fault that my father came dashing half-way across the world in search of me and left her behind. Like I'm responsible for their screwed up love. I'm not._

_I've put up with a lot in the past year from everyone. I fell in love, only to find out that he was obsessed with killing my father, and lost my child to him in a fit of rage._

_But the same twisted cycle filled with hatred that brought me into the world hasn't stopped. The cycle is continuing and it's taken our once stable family and turned into some thing inhuman and demented._

_In this new battle with familiar faces my only ally is my father. He's the only one who truly understands me. He knows what I'm going through and he'll do everything in his power to keep me from losing my grip on reality. He'll do what it takes to protect me from being like him._

_The storm is here; it's just a matter of time until lightening strikes and our family goes up in smoke…_

**Author's Notes:**

After several months, I'm finally back with a new fan fic! This will be about twenty chapters, I'd say. It's going to be split between the entire Rippner family POV wise. Thanks to _My Brighter Darkness_ for getting me back into fan fic mode with the basic idea behind this story.

Enjoy and please, read and review: )


	2. Chapter One

**Guilty As Charged**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter One**

_Miami – Rippner Vacation Home_

"She has got to see someone!"

_Why must you always start this shit? There's nothing wrong with Jack!_

"Hell no! I'm not sending her to some over-priced shrink just so they can confirm what I already know. I'm not putting Jack through that!"

Lisa Rippner placed her hands on her jean-clad hips and glared across the bedroom at her husband of seventeen years. "She's not staying here anymore!"

He snorted. She might be a stubborn as hell, quick-tempered redhead—not to mention his wife—but she wasn't going to get her way. "Jack isn't going anywhere. She's _my_ daughter—I decide what happens to her."

"Are you insane? Myra's scared to death of her! I won't expose her to this…this _madness_ anymore!" she yelled; throwing her hands in the air.

_Wow, melodramatic much, Leese? Maybe you should go into acting…you certainly can't do much worse than those Hollywood wannabes. _

Jackson rolled his clear blue eyes and crossed his arms. "And I don't give a shit, Leese. Jack's been through enough. I can handle her—"

"Yeah, like you handled it last year when she ran half-way across the world! Oh, did you forget that your precious Jack was about to _kill_ all of us? She had a _gun_ to your _head_!"

"No, I didn't forget," he snapped with a scowl. "It wasn't even Jack's fault—it was that kid—"

Mark Ryder had been even more demented and determined to have vengeance than his father, Maxwell. The slimy little shit had not only changed his last name, but he'd gone after the one thing more precious to Jackson than life or his love. He'd gone after Jack, seduced her, and even impregnated his prized daughter.

Of course, that creep hadn't pulled his final act until he cruelly attacked his daughter and ordered her to blow a hole in his head—and that was after Ryder had dragged Lisa and Myra into his manic trap. But his daughter had successfully manipulated everyone in the apartment and ended Ryder's life instead of his.

"Go right ahead and blame it on him! If you'd spent any time with her outside of teaching her useless crap about weapons, maybe she'd have never run away!"

"How dare you—"

Lisa cut him off again. "What happened is all _your fault_! You turned our daughter into a killer and you…you _left me_!"

"You're still going on about that? Damn it, Lisa!" He shook his head in disbelief. "That was over a year ago!"

_You sure know how to hold a grudge…_

"And I almost died!"

"That's only because _you_ disobeyed me!"

With a loud cry, Lisa launched herself at him—her fists out. She screamed, punched, and clawed at him in her fury. He carefully clung to his wife's wrists to keep her from gouging his eyeballs out and slammed her into a wall.

She cried out, but even the pain in her head couldn't stop her. She renewed her assault. Jackson forced her into the wall again; knocking picture frames off the bedroom wall as it shook from his force. Her green eyes were narrow and filled with hatred as he pinned her to the wall and slid his hands up her throat.

Lisa gasped and coughed as he expertly squeezed her slender neck and slipped her up the wall. She kicked out with her legs while he lifted her off the ground, but he ignored her weak blows as he cut off her air supply.

Jackson Rippner waited for her eyelids to close and her body to go limp before dumping his wife in a heap on the tile floor and stalking out of their bedroom; slamming the door on his way out.

* * *

Kyra fumbled for her gun, a .45 caliber that she'd received on her seventeenth birthday, when she heard the commotion down the hall. She slipped down the hallway silently in her bare feet, prepared to shoot the intruder attacking her parents.

She was so nervous she almost pulled the trigger when her father appeared from his bedroom and slammed the door. He was as detached and emotionless-looking as she'd ever seen him.

Sliding her gun into the holster on her hip, she fell in step beside him.

"Volume control much?" she quipped; breaking the silence.

He paused and turned to face her—as if he'd just realized that there was someone else with him. "What are you talking?"

She rolled her icy eyes and sighed. "Either that was a group of assassins in your bedroom attacking mum or you guys were arguing again. It certainly was loud enough to be the former."

"What happens between your mother and me is known of your concern, Jack."

Kyra reached out and snagged her father's arm. "It becomes my concern when it's over me and when you hurt her. You didn't hurt her…did you?"

As much as Jackson loved Lisa, his temper had a tendency to spiral out of control and she was often the victim of his rage. It was not uncommon to see her mother walking around with bruises or her father with claw marks from Lisa's fingernails. When she'd been little, she found their arguments oddly fascinating and would watch them rant and rave and attack each other. There was a passion that was undeniable even during their worst quarrels.

But many times her mother had been given a concussion or fractured a bone because Jackson had simply been too rough. Plus, Lisa usually got a few good blows in, yet she could no trace of a fight except for his semi-rumpled clothing. There wasn't even a red mark on his cheeks like there normally was after Lisa smacked some sense into him.

"Huh?"

"Dad," Kyra dug her fingernails into his skin, "what did you do to mum?"

He didn't respond. He just looked confused.

_Oh shit…_

"What did you do?"

It was the shrill sound of her younger sister screaming that snapped her father out of his detached mental state. "Lisa," he whispered and pulled free of her grip.

Kyra raced ahead of him to her parents' bedroom where Myra was still shrieking her head off and her mother lay in a pile on the floor.

That wasn't too bad or even abnormal. What frightened Kyra was that the Lisa-lump wasn't moving or _breathing_.

_Oh God, dad, what did you do?_

**Author's Notes:**

Jackson and Lisa's relationship has really started a downward spiral since the mishap with Kyra in _Some Quality Time_. Jackson is refusing to abide by Lisa's wishes and won't even listen to her anymore. His penchant for violence and his temper control is rapidly disappearing and Lisa's in the most danger that she's been in since the red-eye flight.

Does Jackson still love her? I'm going to let you all debate about that. I know there's going to be a lot of debate about his character in this chapter.

So please, review and tell me what you think!


	3. Chapter Two

**Guilty As Charged**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Two**

_Miami – Rippner Vacation Home – Lisa and Jackson's bedroom_

"Dad, what did you do?" Kyra asked again as she watched her mother's still frame. "What did you do?"

Jackson Rippner stood numbly in the doorway as he stared at his wife. Lisa hadn't moved since they'd followed Myra's screams. The youngest Rippner was curled up in a ball beside Lisa, tears streaking down her cheeks, and she was trembling from head-to-toe.

Kyra shot her father a scathing look as she bent down to study her mother. She still wasn't breathing and she could see the semi-formed bruises where her father's hands had encircled her slender neck.

"Myra, call 911. Now!" she ordered as she repositioned Lisa's limp body. She'd taken a CPR course a few years ago and it was the only idea she had. She knew that if her mother wasn't already dead, she would be.

She was also acutely aware that her father was liable to be arrested for what had transpired in the bedroom. Calling 911 and having an ambulance come for her mother might save Lisa's life but her father could be arrested on domestic violence charges.

_But I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let her die…_

She began the compressions and bent down to give her mother a breath. _Breathe, breathe!_

_1… 2… 3… 4… 5… breathe, damn it!_

Her energy was already failing. She'd forgotten how exhausting CPR was.

Screaming sirens broke her concentration as she fought to get her mother to breathe. _They're here already…thank God._

"In here! Hurry!" Myra's frantic voice filled the air as she bent to give Lisa another breath.

"Miss, miss," a tap on her shoulder, "we'll take it from here."

Reluctantly, Kyra slipped away as the paramedics moved in and placed a mask over her mother's face and continued the resuscitation attempts.

She sniffled and stiff arms wrapped around her dazed body. Her father.

He hadn't said a word in the minutes since they'd rushed to Lisa's side. The paramedics didn't even seem to have noticed him.

_Don't die…_ she begged her mother's still form. _Don't you dare do that to us…_

* * *

_Miami – Emergency Room_

Myra couldn't stop shaking. She'd heard every word exchanged by her feuding parents. The arguments had been increasing in intensity with each passing week and they were mainly concerning her unstable older sister.

_It's not mum's fault that Kyra's insane. She tried to help her—it's all __his__ fault. He did this._

It was no secret that she had, at best, a rocky relationship with her father. He'd been absent for the majority of her childhood—electing instead to spend his time fawning over Kyra. For as long as she could remember, Jackson had made his contempt for her known. He'd only had eyes for his 'Jack'.

Her mother had done her best to make it up. She showered love and affection on her and encouraged her creativity needs. Lisa had always been delighted over her accomplishments—even more so than she was of Kyra's.

But it was always a competition between her and Kyra. Neither had equal attention from both their parents. Kyra had Jackson wrapped around her little finger and would grudgingly take her along on some of their excursions, but he always made it clear that she was unwelcome and unwanted. Lisa tried to spend equal amounts of time on them both and tried to draw their small family together, but Kyra and Jackson were always at odds with her.

Lisa banned weapons in the house—Kyra wore a knife strapped to her ankle and Jackson wore one strapped to his hip.

If Lisa punished Kyra, she went racing to Jackson, who commuted the punishment and had her do more time at the firing range or more time in combat and weapons training. If Myra tried to speak to Lisa about a punishment given to her by Jackson, he'd only increase it.

The uneasy peace in the Rippner household had ended when her sister had seen fit to disobey Jackson and jet-set off to the United States, where she ended up with a psychopath bent on destroying their family. To add insult to injury, Jackson knocked out Lisa and left her in England as he went on a solo tracking mission. Then her brilliant sister ended up pregnant and threatened to kill both Myra and Lisa.

She'd never forget the emotionless, hate-filled stare of her sister's cold blue gaze as she grasped the gun. She'd never forget that her sister was a monster—just as twisted as their own father.

Their father who abused their mother.

Their father who deserved to die.

Their father who was going to be arrested thanks to the evidence log she'd been secretly helping her mother complied for the past two years.

_Good-bye and good riddance… _Myra thought bitterly. Jackson Rippner had been nothing but a thorn in her side. He'd have killed her if Lisa hadn't been protecting her. He never wanted her and she never wanted him. It served him right if he was imprisoned for what he'd done. Even if it meant Kyra going insane it was worth it.

Besides, once Jackson was out of the picture, there was nothing to stop Lisa from having Kyra committed. They'd be safe at last.

_Hold on, mum. Just hold on. This nightmare's almost over…_

* * *

"Mr. Rippner, may we have a word with you?"

Kyra's tired blue eyes popped open and she turned to look at her father. He straightened up in his seat as the two police officers flipped open their badges.

"What about?" Jackson questioned, glaring at them.

"It's about your wife—Lisa Rippner?"

Her lungs tightened. _What's going on? Is she…?_

"What about my wife?"

"I just spoke with the doctor—can you tell us what happened today?"

Her heart beat quickened. Where they going to arrest her father? They couldn't do that—she'd go insane without him. He was the only person who understood her. He was the only person who cared. Myra treated her as if she were a leaper.

"Lisa, she… slipped and hit her head on the wall," her father stated simply, meeting the inquisitive glances of the police.

"Mr. Rippner, we've documented the injuries. These aren't consistent with a fall."

_They know, dad. They know what you did—they want you to admit it. They want to hear you say it…_

"Now," the other officer spoke for the first time, "if you cooperate with us, we'll go easy on you. All we're asking is that you tell us what happened."

"I love my wife," he hissed quietly. "I'd never hurt her."

Kyra though her heart would break. _But you did, dad. You hurt her. You almost killed her!_

"I think we'd better continue this conversation downtown."

Jackson crossed his arms. "I'm not going anywhere until I see Lisa."

The first police officer laughed. "Listen to me, Mr. Rippner. You're not going to be seeing your wife for a long time. It's in your best interests if you speak with us and tell us the truth."

She couldn't take it anymore. Other people were beginning to stare at them.

She grabbed his arm and his dark-haired head snapped around to face her pleading gaze.

"Daddy…" her voice fell into a barely audible whisper, "tell them the truth. Tell them what happened to mum. Please…"

He looked at her and then the policemen and said plainly, "If you're going to arrest me, go ahead and do it."

"Now, why would we do that?"

"Because _I_ did it," he snarled. "Don't you see? I'm guilty as charged. _I_ did it. Now you're either going to cuff me or you're going to leave me and my family alone."

"In that case," Kyra caught a glint of metal, "you'd better stand up. You're under arrest, Mr. Rippner, for the attempted murder of your wife."

**Author's Notes:**

If you think things are complicated now, just wait until Lisa wakes up!

Enjoy and please leave a review and tell me what you think!


	4. Chapter Three

**Guilty As Charged**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Three**

_Miami – Lisa's Hospital Room_

With a groan, Lisa stirred in the bed.

Bright lights assaulted her vision and she raised a hand to shield her eyes. Her mouth was dry and her throat burned when she tried to swallow.

_Damn you, Jackson…_

She knew without looking that her husband had left bruises on her throat—probably in the shape of his hands. Once again he'd lost his temper had knocked her out. At least he'd been thoughtful enough to place her on the bed instead of leaving her on the floor.

An unfamiliar voice called out, "She's awake!"

That was the first clue that wherever she was wasn't home in her own bed.

"Jackson?" she croaked despite the pain in her throat as she lowered her hand to see her surroundings.

"It's okay, Mrs. Rippner. Don't speak," a nurse urged her as she raced around taking notes and checking monitors.

_The hospital… I'm in the hospital. What did you do this time, Jackson?_

For some reason one of the immediate affects of Jackson's attacks was the short term memory loss. She had a hard time recalling what exactly had happened until sometimes as much as days later.

That's why she'd had Myra start a log a few years earlier. She was trying to pin down what set him off and what exactly he did to her. She'd considered leaving him several times and the log would be her ammunition. With the log, she would be granted a divorce. She'd probably also end up throwing Jackson in jail.

Sending him to jail wasn't her goal. But each time he hurt her she swore it wouldn't happen again. Each time she told herself he'd soon see the light and he'd never harm her again.

Now it was at the point where almost every day they quarreled and he was never kind anymore. If he didn't raise a hand to her, he would berate and yell at her. She couldn't remember the last time he'd kissed her or gently dragged her off to their bedroom. He'd often confused passion with violence in the beginning but now it seemed that violence had consumed him.

Lisa missed those nights before Kyra's birth when he'd appear at her apartment. She'd fix him up and together they'd make themselves whole. She lived for those fleeting moments where he'd shed his cold demeanor and they'd chase their demons away, knowing full well that in the morning they'd probably regret it and that they wouldn't be together for long.

But when Kyra had fled two years before, their world had crashed down and he'd become cold. He'd chased after their daughter and left her without a second thought.

She'd cried herself to sleep every night for those painful first few weeks without him. As the weeks turned into months, she hardened her own heart and cursed him for leaving her. Even when they were reunited, it wasn't the same. That year apart had destroyed them.

Kyra needed help and he refused to see it. He wanted nothing to do with her and spent all of his time tending to their oldest daughter. He was ruder to Myra than before—hissing at her when he needed to speak to her and glaring at her whenever he caught sight of her.

It didn't take much to notice that he blamed Myra for what had happened to Kyra. He would never realize that his own self-destructive had forced Kyra down the path and estranged him from his other daughter. He'd never acknowledge the role he played in tearing their family apart.

"Mrs. Rippner, the police would like to speak to you," the nurse said and two men filled her view.

She nodded, wanting to speak but thinking better of it. She'd get Jackson back for this one—perhaps another pen would teach him a lesson.

They introduced themselves but she barely heard them.

"Mrs. Rippner, what happened to you?" one of the officers asked.

She shook her head 'no' before rasping, "Don't remember."

"I think it's only fair to let you know that we've arrested your husband. He can't hurt you if that's what you're worried about."

"Arrested? Why?"

"For what he did to you. He was quite cooperative when we told him about the marks he left. He's pleading guilty to your attempted murder."

_Attempted murder? Jackson Rippner, what did you do to me this time?_

_

* * *

_

_Miami – Law Office of Maura Brown_

Kyra opened the heavy oak door and stepped into the reception area of her parents' attorney. Maura Brown was well acquainted with the unusual relationship between Lisa and Jackson as well as her father's criminal activities.

Jackson's last directions as the police led him away were "Contact Maura—she'll know what to do."

She'd listened to him and drove his car to the law office in the busy business section of downtown. She'd shot Myra a scathing look before heading out the emergency room's doors. It had been her idea to call 911 to save their mother and now her father had been arrested. She was thankful that he hadn't tried to run or resist arrest. In fact he'd seemed rather downtrodden.

_I guess nearly killing your wife does that…_

Maura's familiar brunette head peaked around the corner. "Why, what a surprise it is to see you, Jack. Is something wrong?"

Kyra rushed across the room and into the lawyer's arms. Maura hugged her tightly and then with what Kyra liked to think of as her lawyer-look stared at her.

"Jackie, what's happened?"

"Can we go to your office?" she asked quietly, biting her lip.

"Sure thing, sweetie," Maura agreed and led her down the hallway. She helped Kyra over to a chair before she shut the office door and came around to sit beside the upset teenager.

"Jackie, what's wrong?"

She sniffled and looked up at her parents' only friend. Maura had been introduced to them by Joe Reisert over a year ago and had become a part of the Rippner family with surprising ease. She even used Jackson's nicknames for Kyra.

Through the tears slowly gathering in her crystalline eyes, Kyra looked at the lawyer. "It's dad… he's been arrested."

"Oh, no, what happened?"

"The police… they think he tried to kill mum. She's in the hospital right now. None of us have seen her."

"Jackie, what did Jackson do?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure. He hasn't said a word. I thought someone was attacking them at first when I heard all the noise. I cornered him in the hallway but he wouldn't say anything to me. He seemed out of it… disoriented. Then I heard Myra scream and I ran to see what was wrong."

"Where was Lisa?"

Kyra closed her eyes. She could still picture her mother's still body. "On the floor of their bedroom. She wasn't breathing. Dad followed me, but he didn't say a word. He just stood there."

Maura nodded. "What happened next?"

"I bent down to check mum. She definitely wasn't breathing. I told Myra to call 911 and I started CPR. I kept going until the paramedics pulled me away from her. I drove dad to the hospital—Myra rode in the ambulance. We were still in the emergency room when the police came to arrest him."

"Okay, Jack. What did the police say?"

She took a deep breath before continuing. "They asked to speak to him, mentioned mum's name. They said they'd spoken to her doctor and asked what happened. He said that she slipped and hit her head on the wall. They responded that her injuries weren't consistent with a fall."

"What did Jackson say? Did he argue with them?"

"No, it was quite the opposite. He said 'I love my wife' and asked to see Lisa. I urged him to tell the truth. He looked at me and then dared them to arrest him."

"Dared them? What did he say?"

"He said, 'If you're going to arrest me, go ahead and do it.' He was very annoyed with them I think."

"Did Jackson say anything else?" Maura inquired.

"He said, 'Because _I_ did it. Don't you see? I'm guilty as charged. _I_ did it. Now you're either going to cuff me or you're going to leave me and my family alone,'" Kyra recited.

"Oh dear," Maura said with a sigh. "He's really done it now."

Kyra just nodded.

**Author's Notes:**

Lisa doesn't quite realize what happened yet. And she still loves Jackson very much; she just doesn't think he loves her back. They have a very strange relationship and she doesn't like to admit that his actions are abuse.

Kyra needed someone to turn to and it's never a bad idea to have a lawyer on your side. Hence Maura Brown's appearance. And no, she's not the same lawyer that prosecuted Weiss in _Coldest Degree_. Similar but not the same.

Thanks for all the reviews! Enjoy and please read and review! Reviews keep me motivated and urge me to write faster.


	5. Chapter Four

**Guilty As Charged**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Four**

_Miami – Miami-Dade Police Station – Interrogation Room_

"How long has this been going on, Mr. Rippner?" Detective Sheldon asked, shoving a spiral-bound notebook across the table. "I'm guessing it's been longer than two years."

Jackson looked up from where he'd been studying the pattern of the table. He reached out for the notebook, flipping through the pages. Myra's neat, precise handwriting—so much like Lisa's—filled the lined pages. His youngest daughter had recorded every shouting match, every bruise, and every incident between him and Lisa for two years. There were even photographs and sketches of the marks taped into the well-worn notebook.

He looked up at the smug-faced blonde in front of him. The two officers who arrested him hadn't gotten under his skin as much as this woman had. Judging by the dark roots and brown eyebrows, she wasn't a natural blonde and the dye job was rather poor. Her neatly ironed blouse, unbuttoned just enough that he were the type of man to be inclined to peek he could see down her shirt, looked expensive, as did her black slacks.

Folding his arms, Jackson stared at her plain brown eyes. "What makes you think that?"

"I did a little research. It seems your wife has a history of ER visits for broken bones, fractures, and concussions. Each time she seemed disorientated and each time she gave flimsy excuses."

"Lisa is clumsy…just like Jack. They're both so clumsy."

"Really? How come? Do they magically both run into your fists?" Sheldon inquired.

"Whatever you think you know about my family is a lie…"

"Oh, you want to know what I think? I think you're an abuser, a batterer—whatever you'd like to call yourself—and you not only take it out on your wife, but also your daughters. A little birdie told me that your oldest daughter ran away last year and I'm willing to bet that it was because you beat the shit out of her a few too many times."

Jackson opened his mouth to tell her exactly what he thought when the door opened and a brunette in a well-tailored business outfit strode in.

"Jackson, I'd advise you to keep that remark to yourself," she said, pointing at him before turning to face Detective Sheldon. "I know you have a dirty mouth, so keep that to yourself."

He couldn't resist throwing a smirk her direction. She knew him all too well.

"And who the hell are you?" Sheldon asked, glaring at the new arrival.

Unfazed by the cold greeting, she smiled at the irate detective. "Maura Brown, Jackson Rippner's attorney," she stated. "I'm assuming you forgot to inform my client of his right to an attorney before you started interrogating him."

"No, he—"

Maura looked past her and straight at him. "Jackson, did they Mirandaize you?"

"Nope," Jackson said cheerfully. This was one of the things he loved about Maura. She was quick on her feet. Not to mention she was a shark in expensive clothes.

"Anything my client has said is to be disregarded then. Anything and everything."

"Ms. Brown—" Sheldon tried to protest and was silenced by a stern look from Maura.

"The law clearly states that you are to Mirandaize my client and inform him of his rights at the time of arrest. Anything he may have said or confessed to in custody is now off-limits."

He shot Sheldon a smug look. He had already confessed. He had taken a gamble confessing, hoping that Maura would show up and throw it out once he realized Sheldon had neglected to read him his rights.

_Besides, even if they tried to convict me Lisa would never testify against me. My wife loves me and I love her. She knows that other people only judge us—she knows that they can't possibly understand us and what we've been through._

"I assumed—" Sheldon tried.

Maura took a seat beside Jackson. "If you'd like to question him, you had better read him his rights or else you can get out of the room."

Sheldon crossed her arms and glared at Maura before numbly reciting the Miranda warning. Jackson had heard it many times before in the past. Law officers had been trying to jail him ever since he was pulled from Joe Reisert's home on the day of the red-eye flight a good—was it really twenty years ago?

"'Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?'" Sheldon asked dully.

"Yes," Jackson responded smugly.

"'With this rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?'"

He looked at Maura. His lawyer nodded and he said, "Yes."

Sheldon flicked open her notepad. "Did you assault Mrs. Rippner earlier today?"

"You don't need to answer that, Jackson," Maura whispered in his ear. "It's probably better if you don't."

"Next question," he asked.

"Have you and your wife quarreled before?"

"Yes. We have had verbal disagreements."

Sheldon shot him a dirty look and switched tactics. "Mr. Rippner, where were you this morning?"

"Where I am every morning," he said with a shrug.

"And that is?"

"Well, I think that might be… oh, home."

"Jackson, watch your tone," Maura advised him. "She already hates you… don't make the situation worse."

He growled low in his throat.

"Was there anyone else at home?" the detective asked, though Jackson could sense she'd love nothing more than to punch his face in.

"Lisa, Jack, and…"

"Myra," Maura reminded him. "Your youngest daughter's name is Myra."

"Myra, that's right. It was Lisa, Jack, Myra, and me at home."

"Where were you when the ambulance came to pick up your wife?" Sheldon was steering the conversation back to the alleged attack.

Rippner frowned. Where had he been? He could remember Jack… Jack and a gun. But the ambulance?

"Were you in the living room? The kitchen?"

He scratched his head. _This is stupid… it's an easy answer…_

"You can tell her," Maura said simply.

With a sigh, he stared directly across the table at Detective Sheldon. Without blinking he said, "I don't remember…I don't remember anything."

* * *

Maura frowned. _How can you not remember choking Lisa? Jackson… what's wrong with you? I can't help you when you can't answer basic questions._

"Define 'anything'," Sheldon demanded, not convinced.

"I woke up beside Lisa this morning… and the next thing I know, I'm being arrested in the emergency room. What happened in between?"

"This is ridiculous…"

Maura looked at him worriedly. "Jackson, what's going on?"

"I…I don't know. I don't remember."

"This is bullshit," Sheldon snapped. "Why can't you just admit you tried to murder your wife?"

"Lisa? I'd never kill her… Maura, tell her I'd never do that." He looked from the police detective to his lawyer, pleadingly.

"Jackson, what's wrong?" Maura asked him. "You don't look good… are you feeling okay?"

"Never hurt Lisa… never hurt my Lisa… where's Jack? Where's my Jack? Jackie? Jackie, why'd you leave me?" Jackson started muttering. "Leese, have you seen Jack? I can't find Jack."

Maura knelt down on the floor in front of Jackson, looking up at him. His blue eyes never looked her direction. His vision was unfocused and wavering.

"What the hell is he saying?" Sheldon questioned; her voice whiny.

"I need you to get a psychiatrist… he needs medical attention right now," Maura told the other woman, not looking away from Jackson.

"What? Why not a doctor? He's not bleeding or anything."

"The problem's in his head. He needs a psychiatrist. Something's not right…"

"Oh, I see… you're trying for an insanity plea!"

Maura glared over at the blonde. "My client needs help. As far as I'm concerned, this interview is over. Now, go and get him a doctor!"

Sheldon looked stunned but stalked out of the interrogation room as Maura refocused on Jackson.

"Jack… Jack don't go," he whispered.

"Ssh, Jackson, it's going to be okay. Jackie's fine," she tried to soothe. _What's happened to you? What happened this morning?_

She sat on the floor, trying to reassure him when his hands shot out and wrapped around her throat. Shocked, Maura fell backwards and Jackson pinned her down, hissing, "You don't touch my daughter, Ryder. Do you understand?"

Gagging, she clawed at his hands clenched around her neck as he choked her.

"You don't touch Jack… you don't touch Leese either. They're mine… my family!"

_Jackson, what have you done?_

Maura swiped at him feebly as her vision started to spin and faded to black.

**Author's Notes:**

Jackson's had a break with reality. I will say that's a twist that I hadn't been planning on, but I think it works with his character.

Has it really been a month since I last updated? I feel terrible! I'm sorry for making everyone wait! What can I say other than life got in the way and I have too many jobs? Hopefully I will be able to make the most of my last week and a half before I go back to school. School preparations suck. I spent most of yesterday trying to track down uniforms. My school has been awful at letting us know details.

Hopefully I'll have another update in a few days. Even my novel, _Fatal Target_, has been stalled lately. Both _Fatal Target_ and _Coldest Degree_ (as well as the reworked _Obsession Series_) can be found on my fictionpress account under the same penname: BregoBeauty.

Once again, I apologize for taking so long between updates. If you're still reading this, please read and review! Thanks!

lily- Yes, Lisa does really love Jackson. Jackson does love her back, he's just got emotional problems and has trouble understanding and responding to emotions. Over the years he's gotten much better at being kind, but he still never was cut out to be a father. However, Jack really loves her daddy--despite how annoyed he can make her--and she wants to help him. As a family, yes they could fix all their problems if they really wanted to. But the problem is that they'd all have to accept each other's flaws. Jackson started losing his cool demeanor probably back in _Bad Things Happen._ _Day-to-Day_ shows some of his angry outbursts at the beginning of their relationship. Thanks for the review!


	6. Chapter Five

**Guilty As Charged**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Five**

_Miami – Lisa's Hospital Room_

"Mrs. Rippner? Are you okay?" one of the police officers interviewing her asked.

"No…" she rasped faintly, her head dizzy. Could Jackson have tried to kill her?

She'd watched him efficiently murder men threatening her life before. She'd seen his cruel side more times than she could count and felt the effects of his rage. He could be pushed, prodded, or forced into killing. Violence was second-nature to Jackson Rippner.

_But could he kill me?_

"Mum!"

Lisa blinked; turning to see her teary-eyed daughter push past the policemen to reach her side. Myra wrapped her skinny arms around her before climbing up on the uncomfortable hospital bed.

She stroked her youngest daughter's red hair.

"Mum… are you okay?"

"Sore, baby. Just sore. Where's your sister?" Kyra shouldn't have left Myra alone. As unstable as Kyra was, she still knew better.

Myra shrugged. "She disappeared."

_Again? Kyra…you sure have inherited your father's personality. He was always rather good at disappearing when he was needed._

An officer cleared his throat impatiently. "Mrs. Rippner."

"You may continue with your questions," Lisa said politely. She wasn't going to send her youngest child away just because they felt the need to disturb her.

The two men didn't seem pleased by the idea.

* * *

_Miami – Law Office of Maura Brown_

She glanced up at the pure white ceiling and let out a loud sigh.

Kyra hadn't been content that Maura left her behind. She wanted to see her father—even more than she wanted to hear about her mother. She understood that Maura had a job to do yet she didn't like the idea of him being interrogated.

He'd never responded well to stress. Not to mention his hatred for law enforcement and questioning. He was liable to piss off whoever was in with him as well as drive himself insane.

She slid off the couch she'd been lying on and started to pace. Maura had promised to call her as soon as she learned anything. It had been close to an hour since the older woman left the office. An hour which Kyra had spent losing her mind.

It was Jackson's bland reactions to Lisa lying still on the floor. His silence as she followed the ambulance in his BMW. His detached mental state concerned her more than the charges he was facing.

_What happened in that room, dad? Did you really try to kill her? Or was it just an accident? Was it because of me?_

Kyra's cell phone rang and she frowned at the unfamiliar number. She answered it warily. "Hello?" she called.

"Miss Rippner… what a pleasure it is to finally speak with you…" a smooth, charismatic voice floated over the phone's earpiece.

She felt a few hairs on her arms prickle. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, you didn't get my greeting card? What a shame."

"Greeting card? What greeting card?"

_Great… a psycho has my cell number. This day just keeps getting better and better._

"It's a real shame that she's still alive. She ruined the message."

"The message?"

"Oh, your father didn't explain it to you?" She could swear he was smiling thanks to his cheery tone. "I guess he's still in shock."

"Shock?"

"Miss Rippner, can you not hear me clearly? You seem to be repeating an awfully lot. Am I speaking too fast for you?"

Kyra pried the phone from her ear and glared at the screen. "No, I can hear you. I just don't understand why you tried to kill my mother."

A laugh came over the line. "Finally, you catch on. They told me you were smart—just like your father. In fact, even more like him."

"What is it you want from me?"

"The game wouldn't be any fun if I told you that."

"The game? What game? This is my family you're talking about! You're toying with people's lives!" She was horrified. No matter how many times she witnessed similar situations Kyra was repulsed. She could still remember Mark's twisted ploy to turn her against her father.

"Now, now, Miss Rippner… you need to relax."

"What did you do to them?" she snarled.

"I'm just trying to finish the job. It's that simple."

"The job?"

"Yes, the job," he hissed impatiently. "It's taken over two decades to get to this point and I'm not going to let it get much farther."

_Two decades? I wasn't even alive then… oh no. Dad—it's got to be about him and mum._

"What do you want from me?"

"Miss Rippner, if you don't follow my directions exactly—your whole family dies. If you succeed… then perhaps we can find a way to get your father out of prison."

Kyra closed her icy eyes for a moment. She couldn't allow her family to die and she couldn't leave Jackson in jail. She had to break him out no matter what.

She sighed reluctantly. "Tell me what to do."

**Author's Notes:**

Yes, there is a reason why Kyra is being contacted and a reason why Jackson's completely out of it. All I'm going to say at this point is that it all goes back to when Jackson and Lisa first met and we're going to see Kyra in action.

I'm sorry that this is such a short chapter but this seemed to be the best place to end it. Hopefully I'm going to start updating faster now that I've figured out exactly what's going on. Thank you to anyone who's still reading—please leave reviews! Enjoy!


	7. Chapter Six

**Guilty As Charged**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Six**

_Miami – Miami-Dade Police Station – Interrogation Room_

It took three burly police officers to jerk the writhing Jackson Rippner off Maura. The officers struggled to hold him as a fourth person fitted him with handcuffs and other restraints.

Jackson continued to mutter about Jack. Most of what he said was nonsense, yet he continually uttered "You don't touch Jack… You don't touch my Jackie…"

Maura started to cough, rolling on the floor as she tried to breathe.

_What's wrong with you, Jackson? What happened this morning?_

"Get him out of here!" Sheldon ordered, shooing the officers towards the door. "Put him in lock-up!"

"No…" Maura coughed, trying to stand. If they took Jackson away, she might not ever understand what made him snap, let alone be able to get him help.

"And send someone in to look at Miss Brown."

The officers nodded, half-dragging, half-carrying Jackson toward the door. Jackson wasn't cooperating in the least.

"No… don't… making… mistake…"

* * *

_Miami – Lisa's Hospital Room_

"He… he tried to kill me?"

She didn't remember anything like that. There weren't any flashes of memory, any indication of violence. No shouting, no yelling. Nothing. Just pain.

"He almost choked you to death with his bare hands, Mrs. Rippner," one of the officers said. "He cornered you in your bedroom and choked you."

"Jack… Jackson wouldn't do that…"

_No matter what, he loves me. He's always loved me…_

"Mrs. Rippner—"

"Please leave."

"I'm just doing my job—"

"Please leave. I have nothing more to say."

The two police officers reluctantly headed toward the door.

"We'll be back. In the meantime, if you think of anything or have any questions, please… call us at this number," one of them said, placing a business card on her tray table.

"Good-bye," Lisa nearly hissed, despite her sore throat.

The door to her hospital room shut and she relaxed.

_Jackson didn't do this… I know he didn't. Well, not physically…_

She sighed, trying to remember this morning. Why couldn't she remember the accident that left her hospitalized? Was it that traumatic? Or was it more sinister than an "accident"?

_This isn't right…something about this is wrong. Jackson didn't do this to me. He's never come this close to killing me before—and the police have never jumped all over him, either. What's different about this time?_

They had been arguing a lot about Kyra. Jackson was protective of his favorite daughter, but he'd never strangle Lisa to death because of a fight. Not even about Kyra.

Kyra needed help. Professional help. It pained Lisa to admit it, yet it was in Kyra's best interest.

_Did Kyra do this? Is she that unhinged?_

No, her daughter wasn't that cold. Kyra couldn't have done this… could she?

* * *

_Miami – Law Office of Maura Brown_

Kyra snapped her cell phone shut.

_What is going on? What did you do, Dad?_

She stood up, heading for her father's car. She didn't want to continue the violence that surrounded her family, but she had no choice. To save her father, she had to take his place. She had to take his old job back. She had to fix his mistakes.

She had to kill Charles Keefe.

**Author's Notes:**

I am sooo sorry about the long delay in updates. I knew where the story was going, then I got busy, forget what my plan was, and then it spiraled out of control from there. I'm sorta on summer break now, so as long as I can get back on track with my plan, updates should be (hopefully) once a week.

The next chapter will be about Charles Keefe and how he fits into everything.

Thanks for reading and please review!


	8. Chapter Seven

**Guilty As Charged**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Seven**

_Washington, D.C. – Charles Keefe's Office_

"I'm getting too old for this," Charles Keefe muttered to his reflection. He fiddled with the navy blue tie, attempting to straighten the knot.

Press conferences. He hated dealing with the over-hyped media circus. Many of the reporters jumped up and down, shouted too loud, and otherwise showed the result of their coffee and energy drink addictions. He could already feel a headache coming on and he hadn't even left his office yet.

Keefe popped two Excedrin tablets, hoping to stave off the oncoming migraine. He doubted that the two pills would do much.

Two decades ago, immediately following the assassination attempt at the Lux Atlantic, Keefe had considered resigning his post as Deputy Director of Homeland Security. Despite his wife's protests, he'd stayed.

On some days, he regretted his rash decision. His wife left him a few years later, complaining that his job meant more to him than his family did. He was estranged from his two children. His job had become his life.

Intelligence had reached Keefe, warning him that the same terrorist in charge of the attack against him was once again active. Lisa Reisert, the hotel manager who'd saved his life, had been hospitalized after a fight with her husband. Her husband, who just happened to Jackson Rippner, a suspected terrorist.

The Lux Atlantic attack had never been pinned on Jackson Rippner. The charming man had escaped the hospital he'd been placed in, launching a nation-wide man-hunt.

The actual terrorist group behind the attempted assassination was killed soon after, thanks to eye-witness testimony from none other than Lisa Reisert. She claimed that Jackson Rippner had kidnapped her, using her as bait for his employers. She'd survived the death trap, but Rippner had vanished again.

For twenty years, Jackson Rippner lived underground. Rippner lived far enough off the grid that even the National Security Agency couldn't even track him with their satellites and high-tech devices. Now he'd surfaced again. It was only a matter of time before the man was caught doing something illegal—in addition to nearly murdering Lisa.

"I've got you this time, Rippner."

There was a knock on his office door.

"Yes?" Keefe called, giving up on his tie.

"Mr. Keefe, there's be an accident. It's about your ex-wife."

In three strides, Keefe reached the door, yanking it open. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"She's dead. Her car exploded."

* * *

_Miami – Rippner Vacation Home_

Kyra tore through her father's office, collecting all the weapons she could find. She had no idea what the occasion would call for, and it was better to be prepared than sorry.

The drive north would allow her to take anything that she could fit in her car. She had no contacts in Maryland, where the hit would take place. She didn't even want to go back there. She had too many bad memories.

She fled to Maryland to escape her father. It was there she met Mark Ryder and fell into his trap. She couldn't stay in Miami back then, especially once she knew her father was hunting her. After shooting Mark, Kyra never expected that she'd voluntarily return to Maryland.

Charles Keefe needed to die. His death was the key to saving her parents' marriage, and keeping her father out of jail. Jackson might be violent, but he wouldn't intentionally harm Lisa. He would never kill her.

Proving his innocence would mean calling upon the darkness that lurked inside them both. Murder ran through their veins. Vengeance lived in their blood.

Bloodshed and death excited them. It was the awful truth. Her father carried this horrible rage on his genes, which combined with the skills he taught her, turned her into his protégé and a damn good killer. Because the Rippner thirst for blood bypassed Myra, Kyra did the only thing she knew would work to prevent anyone else for having to fight the impulses and insanity that she suffered through. After the events with Mark, she knew having a child was out of the question.

Her solution was a hysterectomy.

Never again would pregnancy be a problem for her. She could never have children. The Rippner line ended with her. Her blood was tainted; Myra's was not. Myra was more Reisert than Rippner.

_I know you wouldn't approve, but I'm not going to let you rot in prison. It's not your fault. I'll fix things._

Charles Keefe brought her parents together. She wouldn't let one politician drive them apart. Not when she could even the score. She could kill him. She had to.

* * *

_Frederick, MD – The Agency_

Two decades. That's how long it took to take down Charles Keefe. The once cocky politician was still in the game, riding on the success of the failed assassination. The war on terror ended a few years back and several presidents had passed, including the nation's first black president. With each new president, Keefe remained. No one wanted to throw him out. Not when he was focused on preventing another 9/11.

A lot happened in twenty years. Jackson Rippner vanished overnight instead of dying in his hospital bed. He saved Lisa Reisert from the men sent to capture and kill her. The two enemies fell in bed together.

Rippner fathered a daughter that was a carbon copy of himself. Jacqueline Kyra Reisert Rippner, better known as Jack or Jackie, proved herself worthy of her father's job when she outsmarted Mark Ryder.

He could not have created a more perfect killing machine than Jacqueline Rippner. Between her skills, natural talent, and a taste for violence she inherited from her father, no one could match her. Even though she was still young, she was ready to join the Agency. To face her destiny like a good little killer.

Charles Keefe would be the final test. If she had the nerve and the brains to pull it off, then she would take her place in the company. If she failed, she would die.

Either way, her family had to disappear. A tragic accident here, an unexpected suicide there—it would be the end of the Rippners. Only Jackson Rippner and his daughter had a chance for survival. If Rippner refused, he could die alongside his wife and daughter.

He just hoped the wait for Jacqueline was worth it.

**Author's Notes:**

I have a feeling this chapter might be a little disjointed and repetitive. I'm trying to find my place in this story again and this chapter was half-written several months ago.

I can't believe it's almost been a year since I last updated! I'm very sorry about that and for anyone who's still reading, thank you very much for hanging in there.

I will say for the past year I have been rather busy—from graduating to moving away, from getting ill to moving back, and from learning to live with the pain. Some of you know that I've been in and out of doctor's offices since I came home in November and was almost hospitalized. During the past few months, my interest in writing disappeared. It's finally returning and I sincerely hope that I can get _Guilty As Charged_ and _Total Strangers_ finished in the coming months and begin some new work.

There is a poll on my author's page that I encourage everyone to participate in. It's essentially to find out what you are interested in reading next. Your input is very much appreciated.

Please leave a review. Thank you so much for reading. :)


	9. Chapter Eight

**Guilty As Charged**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_ except three posters and two copies of the DVD!

**Chapter Eight**

_Maryland – New Carrollton Metro Station_

Cursing under her breath, Kyra fought with an automated Metro Card machine. The machine played innocent, accepting her cash, but not giving her the card she paid off.

She let out a vicious kick at the piece of electronic shit.

Her card came out with a whir.

"About time you worthless piece of—"

A hand covered her mouth, muffling her next string. Even a sailor would've turned bright red if they understand the profanities she spat against the hand. Some were in English, but a few other pieces belonged to foreign tongues, picked up from her father. Jackson's travels left him knowing curses in many languages aside from his native tongue.

Her elbow thrust backward into her attacker's gut, her foot stomping down hard on his shoe. She ripped his hand off her mouth, her right hand already in a fist aimed at his lowered head.

A hand intercepted the blow.

"Interesting technique, Miss Rippner. Much like your father's."

Kyra looked up in the face of the newcomer. And to her horror, she recognized it.

* * *

_Miami – Lisa's Hospital Room – Three Days Earlier…_

She rubbed her sore throat, her head still spinning from what the policemen told her about her husband. Never before had the police interfered with their business. No one bothered Jackson Rippner. Not about his past, not about any crimes he might have committed, and certainly not about how he treated his family. It was unheard of.

Jackson would never kill her. He'd sooner slit his own wrists or jump off a bridge.

Sure, Kyra was unpredictable. A loose cannon, much like her father, but still her daughter. Neither one of them could hurt her willingly. Kyra might hate and argue with her, but she'd never even raise a hand to Lisa because Jackson would strike back.

He may side with Jackie, but she knew that her husband would put her life first.

Still, it didn't shake the images from her mind. Did Kyra have the strength to pin her to a wall and choke the life out of her?

Yes, Kyra was cold-blooded. Yes, she could lie without blinking. And yes, she could shoot someone she loved.

Was her oldest daughter capable of strangling her?

With the right motivation? Possibly. Would Kyra try it when her beloved father was around? No way in hell.

_Someone else was in our house… someone else…_

Jackson didn't hurt her. He tried to protect her.

_"Lisa! Goddamn it, Lisa!"_

_A vase shattered, fresh-cut flowers falling to the floor. The petals trampled, ruined, by the chaos in their room. _

_He moved toward her; a predator in motion. His blue eyes blazed, hair falling into his eyes, but not deterring him from his path. Nothing stopped him or upset him until the knife at her throat caught the light._

_"Leese…"_

_Her captor forced her further into the light. "Hello, Rippner. I can't believe you've kept the Reisert girl this long. Last time I saw her, you walked out on her and your child. A lovely girl, isn't she? Your precious 'Jack'."_

_He lunged forward, only to have his arms seized. Jackson looked like a twig next to the hulking thugs restraining him._

_"No, no, Rippner. Calm down a bit first. We have some business to discuss…"_

_Business that ended with her in a heap on the floor._

Lisa closed her eyes, willing the pain in her head to go away.

* * *

_Miami – Miami-Dade PD – Jackson's cell_

Twenty-some years ago, his boss, the man who orchestrated the Keefe hit, perished in an explosion. He rigged the bomb, using Lisa as bait. The bomb that took out the big-time Russian mobster also injured him and Lisa.

He pulled himself from the wreckage, bleeding and stunned. He sent her a card, knowing it was too dangerous to visit her in the hospital. The last time he set foot in a hospital, Jackson barely managed to thwart the man sent to kill him.

It was a long time before he saw her again. But she waited for him. She always did.

He invariable returned to her side, sometimes wounded, sometimes whole, and sometimes bearing the scars of his work. She would take care of him, pushing past the sarcasm he used to disguise his feelings, and healing him. Physically, emotionally, and mentally. Making him as close to human as he could be.

Neither of them could lead their life without the other. He tried to stay away from her, but she still drew him in. Each time he thought he escaped the disease that was Lisa, he went crawling back to her place and her bed.

She never left. He did.

The scars, the wounds, the tears. None of it mattered. They were both damaged goods. They sought comfort from each other. Kindred souls.

Love and hate twisted together, tormenting them. It gave them a taste of something they could never have. A life together.

Against the odds, they did marry. Violence and passion ruled their tumultuous marriage.

And they had two beautiful girls. Kyra, his shadow, and Myra, a duplicate of her mother. He never bonded with Myra. He couldn't find the love in his heart for her.

Jackson never wanted children. The first time Lisa became pregnant, he'd shoved her down the stairs and left her without another word. Children were a liability. Loving Lisa took enough out of him. Having another person to protect and care for was asking too much.

His daughter, his dark-haired little Kyra, was five months old before he learned of her existence. She shared his name—both names.

Jacqueline Kyra Reisert Rippner. Jack for short. That's how Lisa introduced them.

When she woke in the middle of the night, Jackson was there for her. His tiny angel. A miracle that never should've been born.

Jack's birth changed everything. His job, his life, and his focus. He couldn't pop in and out of Lisa's life anymore. He needed to be there with his daughter. To protect her from the dark side of his heritage. If she were anything like him, Kyra would be a danger to anyone she met. Properly trained, she was a lethal weapon ready to explode.

He let Lisa and Kyra into his heart, but he never found the space for Myra. Perhaps it was because he never had to save her life.

Jackson sighed, resting against the cinderblock wall for support. His life was full of what-ifs and regrets. And now Lisa paid the price for his nature.

Once again, he'd put her in the hospital. He'd nearly killed her with his own hands. His Leese.

_I deserve this. I just hope Jack's okay. Maybe Lisa was right…_

No. Forcing Jack to confront her time with Ryder wasn't right. If Jack wanted to see a shrink, he'd help her find one. He wasn't about to force her to speak to a stranger when she wouldn't even speak to him.

Silence could protect Kyra right now. If he stayed in prison, maybe Lisa's calm nature would help Kyra. If he stayed put, Kyra stood a chance at a normal life.

He'd become too twisted to live. His darker nature took over and he didn't even remember hurting those he loved.

* * *

_Maryland – Frederick_

"Are you sure about this?"

"Of course, Kat. He's an old associate of your father's."

The redhead stared at her companion. "Then why isn't he handling this?"

"The Ewing case is taking up all his time. Besides, you could dust off your psychology degree," he suggested, his hazel eyes winking at her mischievously.

"And do what with it? Hit you?"

"No, consult on the Rippner case. You could psychoanalyze Jackson Rippner."

"Me?"

"C'mon, Katy, no one knows that you're Carter's daughter. You're Dr. Katherine Robertson, remember?"

"Dr. Robertson-Murphy, remember?"

Aidan Murphy took his wife's left hand. "How could I forget?" he murmured, kissing her wedding ring.

"Okay, okay! I'll go!"

He smirked. "Let's go then. It's a long trip to Miami."

"Miami?!"

* * *

_Miami – Law Offices of Maura Brown_

Myra Rippner walled into Maura's office slowly. "Miss Brown?"

Maura looked up from her desk, smiling at Jackson's youngest daughter. "It's good to see you, Myra. I heard you had something to show me?"

"It's about d—Jackson. What he's done to mum."

She clutched the small album to her chest.

"What has he done to Lisa?"

"He's abusing her. I have proof."

**Author's Notes:**

Here's another chapter! It's a bit disjointed with Jackson's section, but he's not really thinking straight. What actually happened in their room will be revealed soon, and Katherine will be the doctor examining Jackson and determining his mental state.

Plus, Jackson's bit was a recap of earlier stories. And Katherine and Aidan are two characters from my series of original thrillers. Kat's a psychologist who happens to have a knack for a gun and Aidan's a former con artist who doesn't remember a bit of his past.

Please read and review! Comments are appreciated!

_Lisa reisert - _Thank you for your review and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

_ThatGirlfromtheWindycity – _Thank you so much! Myra's role is going to expand throughout this story hopefully.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Guilty As Charged**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Nine**

_Miami - Law Offices of Maura Brown_

"Proof? What kind of proof?" Maura asked, staring at Jackson's other daughter. Unlike Jackie, who was a mirror image of her father, Myra took after her mother. They shared the same reddish hair and green eyes. They were the warm side of the family.

Jackson and Kyra were the cold side with their dark hair and ice blue eyes. Both father and daughter were damaged in ways Lisa and Myra couldn't understand.

"Photographs of injuries. Bruises and cuts," Myra Rippner said quietly, sliding the small album across the desk between them.

Maura took the book and slowly opened it.

Lisa Rippner stared right at her, one of her eyes bruised, the skin around it purple.

"She says she slipped in the bathroom, but it was Jackson. He lost his temper that day," Myra explained.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Years. It got worse when Kyra left."

Maura Brown flipped through the album, facing scars, cuts, and more bruises than she could count. She knew about Jackson's past, or at least as much as he cared to share, but she'd never even guessed at this darker side. He was always a loving, caring husband. Lisa never once complained to her about his behavior.

There were emergency room records as well. Some of them dated back to before Kyra's birth.

Like Myra had said, the little album recorded the Rippner family's darkest secret. Based on the pictures and documents, Lisa looked like a classic abuse victim.

This album would destroy Jackson Rippner.

_Miami – Miami-Dade PD – Interrogation Room_

Dressed in a prison uniform, Jackson was chained to a chair this time. Clearly the guards were worried he might attack his latest visitor.

The door opened, a young woman stepping into the dark room. She looked extremely out of place in her well-cut suit and heels. A brief once-over assured him that whoever she was, this woman came from or had money. The black suit jacket was a custom jacket meant to conceal a weapon without showing it. The skirt flared out at her knees, exposing long, lean legs. Well-toned from some form of exercise. Her heels were shiny, high, and most likely cost her around three hundred dollars. The white blouse underneath her jacket was pure white, not cream or off-white as so many garments turned after being washed.

She carried a leather folder and a silver pen in her fingers. Her hair, a red-brown color, was tied back in a bun. Everything about her, down to the silver chain around her neck and the ring on her left hand screamed professional.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Rippner," she said pleasantly, taking a seat across the table from him. She didn't seem intimated at all.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Your lawyer, Miss Brown, requested my presence. She wants me to evaluate you."

"Evaluate what?"

She set the folder down along with her pen. "I'm a psychologist, Mr. Rippner. Miss Brown hired me to determine your mental state. I'm working with you, not against you."

"Really? Then what's your name?"

"Dr. Katherine Robertson-Murphy."

"That's a mouthful," he muttered.

"Yes, yes it is."

She opened the folder. "I was told you were arrested for attempted murder. Do you remember anything about the incident in question?"

"What incident?"

"The police report says you strangled your wife, Lisa Rippner. She was revived by your daughter and a team of paramedics."

"Oh, _that _incident…"

"Jackson—do you mind if I call you Jackson?"

He didn't bother to respond.

"I'm trying to help you, Jackson. I can't help you unless you talk to me."

"Why bother? I'm guilty."

"Are you? Miss Brown doesn't seem to think so," the psychologist countered.

Jackson sighed. "Listen, doc… cut the crap. You don't really care about me or my mental state. You just want to get paid. Am I right?"

She leaned forward. "You're wrong."

"Why should you care about me?"

The shrink pulled a business card out of her folder. She slid it across the table for him to see.

The cream-colored card simply said 'J. Carter and Associates'.

"So?" he challenged.

"Maybe you remember my father? Jim?"

"Not ringing any bells."

"Jim _Carter_?"

Carter. That was a name he knew. Since when did Jim run a business? Out of all of his past associates, Jim Carter seemed the least likely to get into legal business ventures versus illegal ones.

"Carter's your father?"

"Yes."

"That's not possible. Carter doesn't have kids."

"Not that he knew of until much later. I was seventeen when I met him and my mother. You might remember her—Lynn DeCoute?"

"The girl from high school?" Jackson looked surprised. "She's your mother?"

"Yup. Now that we've established my background, let's get down to business, shall we?"

"You're a doctor? Carter's little girl is a doctor?"

"Psychologist. Remember?"

"You look like Jackie… my little Jackie…"

Katherine looked at her folder. "You mean Jacqueline? Your daughter?"

"Jack. She hates being called Jacqueline."

She nodded. "Jackson, I need you to tell me everything you remember about that day. From when you got up to when you were arrested. Can you do that?"

"I don't remember."

"You remember more than you think you do. Do it for your daughter, for Jackie. After all, what's she going to do if you're stuck in prison?"

That thought sobered Jackson for a moment. Jack wouldn't do well with him in prison. She'd get into trouble if he was locked up on the inside. On the other hand… he might just be forfeiting her life and Lisa's if he told.

"All I remember is the hospital. And Jack telling me that Lisa was hurt. I don't remember anything else."

"What do you remember about the hospital? A smell? A sound?"

"Just Jack. She was worried. So worried."

Katherine nodded, her pen scrawling across a notepad. "What else? What else do you remember?"

He shook his head. "That's it. I don't remember anything else."

"Not even the ambulance coming to your house?"

_They held him back as one of them pressed Lisa into the wall. The man holding her squeezed her throat, strangling his wife as he watched, helpless. He couldn't yell because of the gun pointed at the doorway. If Jack came running, which he knew she would, these men would kill her._

_ "Now, Rippner, if you don't do what we say, she dies. She dies and her death is on your hands. You're guilty as sin. And your little girls… well, let's just say one of them blows out their brains…"_

_ Jackson struggled a bit, his eyes cold as ice. _

_ "What do you want?"_

_ "Kill Charles Keefe."_

Jackson shook his head. "No, I don't remember that. I remember being in a car with Jack."

"Are you sure?"

He looked at her with his ice-cold eyes. "That's all I remember, doc. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go back to my cell now."

**Author's Notes:**

I know it's been ages! Please review if you are still reading this and want me to continue. Also complete the poll on my profile page. Thanks!

Lisa reisert- Thanks!


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